Online Social Scenario
Someone sends you a friendly message online, and you respond by saying hello.
Appropriate
A friendly response is a respectful way to begin a conversation.
You arrive at work and say good morning to your coworkers.
Appropriate
Greeting coworkers is a friendly and respectful interaction.
Your friend asks if they can borrow your pencil. You agree and hand it to them.
Appropriate
You are willingly sharing something with a friend.
Someone holds the door open for you at a store, and you say thank you.
Appropriate
You are acknowledging a kind gesture.
Someone compliments your new shoes. You smile and say thank you.
Appropriate
Accepting a compliment politely is an appropriate social response.
Someone you don't know sends you a message asking for your home address, and you give it to them.
Inappropriate
Personal information should not be shared with strangers online.
Your coworker is talking to a customer. You interrupt them to tell them about something funny that happened yesterday.
Inappropriate
You should wait until your coworker is available unless something urgent needs attention.
Your friend tells you they want to spend some time alone. You continue asking them to hang out because you think it will cheer them up.
Inappropriate
Even when you have good intentions, you should respect someone's request for space.
You are waiting in line at a coffee shop. You see someone you know near the front, so you walk ahead of everyone to stand beside them.
Inappropriate
Knowing someone in line does not automatically give you permission to skip ahead of others.
You disagree with someone's opinion, so you interrupt and tell them that their opinion makes no sense.
Inappropriate
You can disagree with someone without interrupting or insulting them.
Your friend hasn't responded to your message, so you send them ten more messages asking why they are ignoring you.
Inappropriate
People may be busy and should have time to respond without pressure.
You notice your coworker made a small mistake. You quietly explain the mistake and offer to help them fix it.
Appropriate
You are addressing the problem respectfully without embarrassing your coworker.
Your friend invites you to an event, but you already have plans. You politely decline and thank them for inviting you.
Appropriate
It is okay to decline invitations respectfully.
You recognize someone at a restaurant, but they are having a conversation with another person. You smile and wave instead of interrupting them.
Appropriate
You are acknowledging the person while respecting their conversation.
You are talking with a friend about something you enjoy, but you notice they keep looking at their phone and giving short answers. You ask if they would rather talk about something else.
Appropriate
You are recognizing possible signs of disinterest and checking in rather than making assumptions.
Someone makes a joke about you in a group chat. You feel uncomfortable, so you privately ask them to stop.
Appropriate
Respectfully communicating your boundaries is appropriate.
Your coworker seems upset. You ask if everything is okay, but they say they don't want to talk about it. You respond, 'That's okay. I'm here if you ever want to talk,' and return to your work.
Appropriate
You are showing concern while respecting the person's boundaries and decision not to talk.
Your friend tells you something personal and asks you not to share it. Later, another friend asks what you were talking about. You respond, 'It's something personal, and I don't think it's my place to share.
Appropriate
You are protecting your friend's privacy while responding politely.
You see someone you know at the grocery store. You approach to say hello, but they give short answers, avoid eye contact, and begin walking away. You continue following them because you want to finish your conversation.
Inappropriate
Their nonverbal cues suggest they may not want to continue the interaction, and you should respect that.
You are having a conversation with someone who keeps interrupting you. You wait until they finish and calmly say, 'I'd like to finish what I was saying before we move on.
Appropriate
You are respectfully communicating your needs without becoming confrontational.
You are in an online group chat with several friends. One friend privately tells you that another group member has been making them uncomfortable. They ask you not to say anything because they want to handle it themselves. Later, the group member makes another uncomfortable comment in the chat. You publicly confront them and mention what your friend told you privately because you want to defend your friend.
Inappropriate
Although your intention is to help, sharing your friend's private conversation without permission violates their trust. You could address the behavior without revealing what your friend told you, or check privately about how they would like support.
Your supervisor gives you feedback about something you need to improve. You disagree with part of the feedback because you believe your coworker caused the problem. You wait until your supervisor finishes speaking, then explain your perspective calmly. However, you also tell your supervisor that your coworker is always irresponsible, even though you only know about this one incident.
Inappropriate
Waiting your turn and explaining your perspective are appropriate, but making an unsupported generalization about your coworker is unfair and unprofessional. You should focus on the specific facts.
You and your friend have been planning to attend an event together for weeks. On the day of the event, your friend cancels because they feel overwhelmed and need time alone. You feel disappointed, so you tell them you understand. However, later that evening, you post online that some people cannot be trusted to keep their promises, without mentioning their name.
Inappropriate
Although you did not mention your friend by name, the indirect post may still embarrass or upset them. It is okay to feel disappointed, but discussing your feelings privately and respectfully would be more appropriate.
You attend a social gathering and notice someone you previously had a disagreement with. They approach you in front of several people and apologize for what happened. You appreciate the apology but are not ready to have a conversation. You politely thank them and explain that you would prefer to discuss the situation another time.
Appropriate
You are acknowledging their apology while setting a respectful boundary. You are not obligated to have a conversation simply because someone apologizes, even in front of other people.
You are at a gathering with mutual friends when someone you are uncomfortable around joins the conversation. They have always been polite to you, but you have had a disagreement in the past. You remain respectful but avoid speaking directly to them. Later, they ask if something is wrong. You respond, 'Nothing is wrong,' even though you are uncomfortable, and then politely excuse yourself from the conversation.
Depends on the context
Leaving an uncomfortable interaction respectfully and maintaining boundaries are appropriate. Saying 'nothing is wrong' may be an attempt to avoid an unwanted discussion, but a more direct response such as 'I'd rather not discuss it right now' can communicate the boundary more clearly. The client should explain why there is more than one reasonable interpretation.